Two weeks after the attack, life had gone to something resembling normal.
The now powerless halflings had all been arrested for various charges. All were over the age of 18, so they were being held and tried as adults.
Elisa had been allowed to sit in on a few of the questioning sessions, out of professional courtesy since her son was one of the children who had been in harm's way. She'd been behind the two way mirror of course, but for the most part they were all keeping quiet.
Not that she could blame them. If even one of them were to tell the truth, they'd probably end up institutionalized and heavily medicated. It was bad enough that they were going to be locked up for a good long while, but being treated as if they were insane would be the worst thing for them. They knew the truth, but to admit the full truth to anyone outside of those who knew of the Fae was to invite disaster.
And so, they remained silent, not even speaking to the public defenders who had been assigned their cases.
The story was fading from public memory, and that was just fine with Elisa. She was still being approached by strangers about the story of her finding Liam. All she needed was more curious people trying to ferret out information about that night at the castle.
Thankfully, Skyler, despite being repeatedly placed in harm's way, opted to remain where she was. She finally seemed comfortable enough, that she had actually painted her bedroom a pale blue and had even hung a few small decorative pictures. It was a little thing, but something that she had never felt settled enough to do before now.
Skyler was powerless now, but since she'd only really had them one night, she didn't miss them. She spent the days watching over Liam while Elisa slept, and most nights at the castle with the clan.
More specifically, she was spending more and more time with Brooklyn.
Elisa chuckled the night that she realized that Skyler and Brooklyn were getting so close. Perhaps her and Goliath's relationship would open up options for the clan as far as companionship that they hadn't thought was before.
She was just waiting for Brooklyn and Skyler to catch up with what everyone else had already seen.
Elisa couldn't help but to wonder if that was what the clan had done for Goliath and her. Had they just stood back and waited? Had they known what was between them before they had?
'Probably,' Elisa thought with a smile, remembering how she had once fought what she had felt. They both had, really, but they had ended up where they needed to be, despite all the twists and turns to get there.
Elisa was leaning one shoulder on the wall surrounding her condo's courtyard, watching as the last of the sun's light faded from the sky with a final colorful splash against the few remaining clouds.
Goliath would awaken soon.
In a few hours, Elisa would have to report in to work for the night with the knowledge that Goliath and the rest of the clan would be near by.
After work, she would be able to go to the castle, and be able to surround herself with her friends and family.
Her husband and child.
She still wasn't sure about the accusation of her being a part fae. After this much time, she wasn't even sure how to find out. It's not as if some past relative of hers would have left a diary entry about it, or even told anyone that they'd had an affair with a stranger that would be a clue as to the beginning of her Fae lineage.
She had never had any powers, or at least none that she'd known of. Before leaving, Oberon had taken all of the halfling's powers, so any chance that Elisa could have developed something useful at some point was gone.
Could you miss or regret the loss of something that you never even knew that you had?
Maybe, Elisa admitted. It would have been a lot better if she had never even known it was a possibility, but now that she knew…
Well, the possibilities were endless.
Elisa smiled and chuckled to herself. She loved her life and where she was right now. Change one thing about her past, and who knows where she would be now? If she'd grown up with powers, she might have joined up with that bunch of young idiots in the jail and been in a cell right next to them.
No. She would rather be here, on the top of a large building in Manhattan, waiting for her husband to wake for the night. He would come and hold her then. He would spend time with their son. He would continue to lead the small clan of Gargoyles. He would protect this island, this city, and all who live on it.
And she would be by his side, helping him in any way that she could, magical or not.
Elisa smiled into the night. She spotted Goliath's familiar form on the horizon, silhouetted against the bright sphere that was the moon.
No.
She wouldn't change a thing.